In a housing market like Toronto, where prices are so high and continuing to rise, most people are simply priced out of the market for the average house. This is especially true for first-time buyers. But what about the idea of buying a starter home to get into the real estate market earlier and take advantage of the rising market?

As the name implies, a starter home is a below-average property that you plan to live in for the next 3-6 years or so, and then sell for hopefully a nice profit so you can move into a more permanent home. A 2015 study by Genworth Canada showed that 50% of first-time buyers see their first home as a starter home, from which they plan to move out of within 10 years.

Celia Alves

Celia Alves, a Sales Representative at Sotheby’s International Realty, who has experience working with young buyers, provides more context about starter homes in Toronto specifically:

Starter homes in Toronto as you can imagine are very much in demand. They are usually in need of a cosmetic face lift and are priced competitively. We have seen a great number of first-time clients move just outside of the Toronto core to areas such as Scarborough, Brampton, Orangeville, Richmond Hill, Markham, and Oshawa. A large segment of the first-time home buyer’s market has also been condominiums.

This article will go into further detail about types of starter homes, what you need to consider before buying, and whether or not they makes sense for your situation.

Types of Starter Homes

In general, there are four types of starter homes:

1. Attached homes
2. Condos
3. Fixer-Uppers
4. Homes in less desirable areas

Attached homes are homes with at least one wall shared with another home, hence the lower price. That includes townhouses and semi-detached homes.

Condos are getting more and more popular in Toronto. Jenelle Cameron, a Toronto-based realtor, says that the majority of her clients are buying studio condos for their first home. According a torontostoreys article, supply for condos was 6,500 on average between 2012-2015, but in 2019 supply was only 3,000. One reason for this decline is because many owners who have relocated to a larger house chose to keep their condo and rent it out, thereby limiting supply and driving up prices.

Fixer-uppers require you to do some repairs and possibly renovations. These costs can be very expensive, time consuming, and emotionally draining, so think carefully before buying a fixer-upper, especially for your first home purchase!

Homes in less desirable areas refer to areas far away from the city center, where most people work, or areas that are more run-down.

What to Consider Before Buying a Starter Home

There are four major considerations when it comes to buying a starter home:

1. The housing market in that area
2. Your time horizon
3. Your needs
4. Your alternatives

If you hope to profit off of a starter home, it’s very important that the housing market is rising. Historically, Toronto’s prices have soared, and most believe that prices will continue to rise, especially over the long-term. That being said, no one can predict the future with 100% certainty, so there’s always the risk that prices may stagnate or decline, and that risk increases the shorter your time horizon is. That brings us to the next point: time horizon.

Experts recommend to buy a starter home with the mindset of keeping it for at least 5 years. The main reason is that it generally takes 5-7 years just to break-even with the transactions costs of buying and selling, as well as all the expenses of home ownership. Additionally, the way mortgage payments work is that in the beginning, you’re mainly paying off interest rather than the actual debt, so you’re building very little equity. However, in a market like Toronto’s, many people have sold their starter home after just 3 years and reaped significant profits. It depends on how fast prices are rising, which again, is hard to predict.

Another consideration is your needs. As mentioned previously, starter homes will likely be much smaller, far from the city centre, or be in more run-down neighbourhoods. If you are planning to have a family soon and you want to buy a starter home, you might end up having to move within a few years and losing money on that starter home. Or if you hate commuting, if might be better to just continuing renting near your work. And that brings us to the last point: alternatives.

Aside from using your savings to take out a mortgage and to a starter home, how else could you use that money? One option is to continue renting and putting any extra savings into other investments. Low risk and low return investments include GICs, bonds, and mutual funds. Higher risk investments with potentially higher returns include stocks and index funds. Another option purchasing a cottage and renting it out. This torontolife article highlights many cases of people who wanted to buy a home in Toronto but couldn’t afford it, so they ended up buying a cottage and renting it out as a way to save up money.

Does it Make Sense for Me to Buy a Starter Home?

Given all the above considerations, it might make sense for you to purchase a starter home if

1. You’re in a soaring housing market.
2. Your time horizon is at least 5 years (although you could sell sooner if a good opportunity arises).
3. You actually find a starter home that suits your needs for the next 5 or so years.
4. You don’t like your other alternatives.

You might be thinking, “Wow, those are some high requirements!” Yes, and that’s because purchasing your first home and getting a mortgage is a very big deal.

Alves gives three major pieces of advice:

We advise our first-time clients to look at properties in up-and-coming neighbourhoods that may need some TLC (tender loving care) or properties that other buyers may have over looked. Another tip is to look for a property that may allow the opportunity for a secondary suite to generate rental income and help offset the mortgage. Thirdly, look for a house with potential to add on or add up so that it can be a longer-term home. This may be important because we have noticed that clients who have outgrown their first home and are looking to move to a bigger home continue to face similar competition and affordability hurdles.

She also gives a couple stories from her clients:

A client who purchased a pre-construction condo lived in it for a few years while she was single and was able to build her real estate portfolio that way.  Once she got married, she was able to take the equity from her condo and invest it into a larger townhouse closer to where she ideally wanted to be.  Another client bought their first starter home and decided to use it as an investment property.  They bought a ‘fixer upper’ where they were able to renovate it so they could live in the lower level while renting out the top floor for more money to essentially live for free.

Buying a starter home is a great way to get into the rising Toronto real estate market as early as possible. But it’s also extremely important that you don’t rush. If you’re not sure whether buying that particular starter home is a good idea for you, then chances are, it’s better you don’t do it. In the mean time, you can continue to rent and put away savings in a low-risk investment while continuing to search for a good starter home.

Where does luxury meet value in downtown Toronto real estate? You may not expect it to be the building formerly known as Trump Hotel and Residences, but indeed, it is the St. Regis Toronto. The tumultuous and even controversial history of the building has, if anything, contributed to the great price for such luxurious property.

Currently, the condominium units are going for about $1,200 per square foot, whereas comparable luxury units are up to $1,700 a square foot. Jim Burtnick, Senior Vice President of Sales at Sotheby’s International Realty, states that the St. Regis Toronto is now:

the best value in 5 star hotel and condo residences.

The Rough History

In case you aren’t familiar with its history, construction started as the economy went into the 2008 recession. It went through many struggles until finally opening in 2012 as the Trump International Hotel and Tower Toronto. It was and still is the third tallest skyscraper in Canada and the tallest mixed-use building in Canada. The hotel portion of the building occupies floors 2 to 31, and the condominium residence units are on floors 32 to 57.

—-> Read more: St. Regis Residences: When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade

After opening, sales were sluggish. By mid-2017, 74 out of the 118 residences were still unsold. The building was also getting negative publicity for its affiliation with Trump, who had just restricted people from primarily Muslim countries from entering the US.

In June 2017, JCF Capital bought the property from The Trump Organization, believing that the property had bright prospects under the right management. JCF partnered with Marriot to bring to Canada its first St. Regis, a brand synonymous with wealth and luxury. The hotel portion of the building was bought by InnVest Hotels LP, who invested $20 million in upgrades. For a little over a year, the building was being redesigned and upgraded, and it finally opened as St. Regis Hotels and Resorts on November 28, 2018.

An Overlooked Gem

During the opening, fashion icon Jason Wu, who is best known for designing the dresses of Michelle Obama, announced that it’s “a new era of glamour arriving in the city with the opening of the St. Regis Toronto.” Is this an overstatement? You can decide for yourself.

Let’s start with the condominium units. They are brand new with a modern design, featuring Italian hardwood flooring, solid wood doors, steam showers, and pot lights. The units range from 1,500 square ft. to a massive 12,000 square ft, and all units feel extremely spacious with 10.5 foot coffered ceilings.

311 Bay Street #3405 available for sale

311 Bay Street #3405 available for sale

Units also feature large windows with breathtaking views of the city on both sides, and are provided with top-end appliances.

311 Bay Street #3405 available for sale

311 Bay Street #3405 available for sale

St. Regis residences get access to international standard 5-star amenities, including a pool, gym, spa, bar, and the award-winning Louix Louis restaurant.

Photo by Marriott.com

Photo by Marriott.com

They also purchase the benefits of hotel clients, including laundry, housekeeping, and room service. Some of the higher-end suites on the top floors even get private elevators, free valet parking, and a $20,000 allowance to spend at any St. Regis location around the globe.

Louix Louis restaurant

Next is the building’s the design. During the rebranding, the building’s interior was redesigned by DesignAgency to be more much airy, open, and inviting than the previously dark and heavy ambience. The 31st floor, the top of the hotel portion of the building features a stunning, 18.5 ft ceiling-wide mural. Given its proximity to other major attractions like the CN Tower and the Scotiabank Arena, this building is worthy of tourist visits too!

Speaking of location, the St. Regis Toronto is located at the heart of downtown, on the border between the financial district and the entertainment district. This means residents get all the luxury and convenience of the St. Regis brand while also living at the heart of this vibrant city. There are also many top-quality restaurants all around the area, along with quick access to the PATH for shopping and entertainment. Everything residents need is within a walking distance!

Photo by Marriott.com

St. Regis Lobby by Marriot.com

Finally, the St. Regis management nurtures a community environment for residents, who are mostly young professionals and young families working in the area; many even have children. The management team will organize resident-only events like wine tastings in its residential lobby, providing great opportunities for the residents to connect with their neighbors.

The Future of St. Regis Toronto

Currently, there are a few remaining choice suites available starting in the mid-$1 million range and up to the low $3 million range. Compared to other 5-star hotel/residences in the city (e.g., Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La, Four Seasons), St. Regis suites are by far the most well finished and the best value.

311 Bay Street #3405 available for sale

311 Bay Street #3405 available for sale

Yet given its past, the building is currently off the radar of many agents and prospective buyers. But with the recent rebranding and remodelling, it won’t be long before the realtors and the general public awaken to this luxurious opportunity in the heart of the city.

Jim Burtnick comments:

The early birds will enjoy the windfall that current exists until the rest of the population wakes up to this hidden gem.

So, contrary to popular belief, there are still a few “deals” to be had in Toronto luxury real estate. You just need to know where to look (or have a realtor who knows)!

If you’re looking for a unit at St. Regis residences, contact us for more info or have a look at Unit #3405 which is available for sale!

The holidays are just around the corner and Toronto is ready. Every year, you can enjoy amazing Christmas decorations around the city and we’re not talking about the lights at the Nathan Phillips Square. Torontonians love their Christmas decorations and some of the decorations people put up on and around their homes are definitely eye-catching. See for yourself!

Moving is a big deal – an average move can take anywhere from eight to 22 weeks from the start of preparation to unpacking your last box. If you’re selling your home and want to get the best possible price, experts agree that it’s best to declutter, donate, pack, purge, and store items you won’t need.

A study by the National Association of Realtors revealed that,

Eighty-three percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.

In addition to this the same study showed, “Twenty-eight percent of sellers’ agents said they staged all sellers’ homes prior to listing them for sale” and the most common rooms to be staged included the living room, kitchen, master bedroom, and dining room.

—> Read more: Redecorating Your Home Before the Sale: 2 Pine Ridge Drive Case Study

Specialists like your realtor, a professional stager, and a storage company can help you save time and money by helping make the staging portion of your journey a seamless stepping-stone in the moving process.

Staging not only involves positioning your furniture just so, it can also involve removing items from the home, renting new items for display, and finding somewhere to store the items while your home is on the market.  That’s where experts like Leslie Kellen, Director of Operations Partner, at XYZ Storage come in, having offered Torontonians storage solutions that work for over 20 years, including their highly popular mobile storage options. Here’s how it works.

Figuring Out What You’ll Need

Storage doesn’t just start when you’re showing your home, it can also be a great way to keep items safely out of the way during a renovation or keeping out of season, or seldom used items like tools, hockey equipment, or holiday decorations from cluttering up your staged home. Leslie says how much you’ll need to store, completely depends on the individual and what is in the home:

For example, empty nesters may have some art and sofas and not a lot more,  while young families with kids tend to have a lot more items that need to be stowed away.

Leslie estimates that those with family members and all their things at home should expect to store around 20 to 40 percent of what’s in their home, whereas empty nesters may only need storage for five to 10 percent of their belongings.

Those downsizing their homes may need longer term storage and tend to use their storage space like another closet or garage, keeping their unit forever.

Leslie also adds that freelance professionals or those with home or limited office storage space will often rent a storage unit to house items like tools, trade show display items, professional records, signage, and more.

How Long Am I Going To Need Storage?

How long you’ll need storage depends on how long the staging process takes, how long the home is on the market, along with when and where you’re going. Leslie suggests for a robust real estate market, like in Toronto, the storage needs could be as short as 30-60 days or significantly longer.  He adds,

This is a good reason to use mobile storage.  That way everything packed up during the storage process can simply be delivered and unloaded at your new home.

A major piece of advice Leslie has to offer is that things, particularly in terms of renovations and moving, often take longer than anticipated so budget for needing extra time.

Knowing that things don’t always happen on schedule is why XYZ Storage provides storage that is prorated to the day. People don’t need it in a perfect 30-day cycle. A lot of storage companies will charge for 4 weeks and not a month, so you’re paying for 28 days on 4-week cycles and that pricing isn’t a true month. This is why we have straight forward pricing, but if you move out before, we offer a refund.  We are the only company in Canada that offers this.

Why Mobile Storage Makes Sense In Toronto

Mobile storage is useful for both homeowners and real estate professionals. Often stagers have set furniture that they store in mobile units to be delivered to homes as needed. Time is saved because you can have more than one container and divide your belongings accordingly, and the choice of having items delivered through mobile storage allows for people to save cost on, or avoid having to book movers altogether.

Mobile storage allows you to have a container delivered to you when you need it. The container can be dropped off at your home for a few hours or days. Live in a condo? Not a problem, your mobile delivery can be booked for the short period of time you have access to the loading dock and then is taken away at the end of the timeslot.

Mobile Storage offered by XYZ Storage

Picking The Right Storage Location

People who are moving may wonder if they’re better off booking a storage unit near their current home or their new one.  Thankfully, Leslie has some advice,

If you’re using storage because you’re moving and have things staged, but you might still need to access seasonal items, you’ll want it to be close to your current home, so you won’t have to drive very far. On the other hand, if you’re going to be looking at using it as long-term storage and won’t be coming and going prior to the move it makes sense to put it near their new home. Those who use mobile storage then can have it transitioned to a standard storage system near their new home.

What To Pay

Units at XYZ Storage start as low as 25 dollars a month with these small units being perfect for storing luggage or offseason sporting equipment.  Full-sized garage spaces are over 300 square feet and can fit the contents of an entire home. Mobile storage units are 5 feet (width), 8 feet (long) X7 feet (height) and start at around $150 per month for one container, with the more containers you rent, the less expensive the container, with drop off fees at an additional price. Keep an eye out and call for specials. Leslie notes,

We have seasonal specials, specials for students, dorms, and those in student housing because we know we have a huge influx of students needing storage for the summer, as well as for those taking extended periods of time travelling.

Getting Started With Storage

Storage centres like XYZ Storage offer both traditional and innovative options at all six of its facilities.  This includes packing and moving supplies, truck rentals, mobile self storage, as well as advice on solutions that will work best for you and your family.

Leslie understands that the needs for storage can be emotional saying,

When someone needs storage it’s usually either for something really exciting like marriage, school, a new home or job opportunity. On the other end of the spectrum it can be for something difficult like having to move a family member into assisted living. So, we’re not just offering storage we’re also providing advice.

With detached homes being so expensive in Toronto, many are looking towards condos as a more affordable option. But even for condos, demand exceeds supply, including for pre-construction units. Many buyers are enticed by the prospect of a new condo and being the first to live there. But imagine if you purchased a pre-construction condo unit, and one day, you suddenly find out that the project is cancelled! What do you do?

—> Read more: Pre-construction vs Resale: Which Condo Should You Buy?

You might be wondering, “What are the chances that my pre-construction project will get cancelled? Very unlikely right?”

According to a Zoocasa article, 23 condo projects were cancelled from 2012 to 2017. Another article by Toronto Storeys noted that 12 buildings (4,202 units) were cancelled in 2018. That’s much higher than 2017, at 1,678 units, and 2016, at just 379 units.

How’s 2019 looking so far? Well, according to an article from LowestRates, three pre-construction condo projects have been cancelled as of April 2019.

So the short answer is that it’s highly unlikely for your pre-construction condo to get cancelled, but it’s still possible, and the risk is increasing.

This article will go over why developers might cancel a condo project, what you can do, and how to mitigate your risk.

Why Might a Pre-Construction Condo Project be Cancelled?

A pre-construction condo project might get unexpectedly cancelled for a variety of reasons. The three most commonly stated reasons are

1. Failing to sell enough units
2. Failing to secure financing for the project
3. Delays in getting the required approvals for building and planning

These reasons are typically stated in that long purchase agreement that the purchaser didn’t want to read but signed anyway. Always read before you sign.

In Toronto specifically, failing to sell enough units usually is not the reason for cancellation given the high demand. If a developer were to cancel, it’s probably due to failure to secure financing or approvals for building and planning. In a Toronto Storeys article, Pauline Lierman, Director of Market Research at Urbanation, states that

All [GTA condo] projects that cancelled in the last year [2018] had more than 80% of the units sold. The biggest factors are cost and financing.

What can you do?

You are entitled to get your money back. The first thing you can do is ask for your money back and refer to the relevant laws.

According to Ontario’s Condominium Act (section 82 and section 19 of O. Reg. 48/01), if a vendor (developer) cancels a project, they are obligated to refund of monies paid by the customer, plus interest. The Condominium Act sets an interest rate of 2 percentage points less than the Bank of Canada rate. In practice, the Bank of Canada interest rate has been less than 2% since 2008, so buyers actually get 0% interest.

You should also know about Tarion, which is an organization created by the Ontario government for the purpose of providing home warranty protection. Every condo unit purchase also has a Tarion Addendum to the agreement. This Addendum states that if the vendor cancels, then they have to refund all money paid by the purchaser, including any money paid for upgrades and extras, within 10 days of the cancellation.

While you are entitled to get your money back, vendors have resisted in past cases. The Condominium Act also requires the vendor to put all money (deposits, upgrades, and extras) received by purchasers into a trust fund. If, for some reason, the vendor is unwilling to return the deposit, then the purchaser can contact the trustee (usually a lawyer) and make a claim to get the deposit back.

If, somehow, the money is no longer in a trust, then purchasers can turn to Tarion Warranty Corporation, and they will return your deposit up to $20,000.

If you’ve lost money over that $20,000, then unfortunately, it will be very difficult to get it back because the vendor most likely owes money to the bank and the municipality, and they have priority to the developer’s assets over purchasers. One option in this situation is to join a class-action lawsuit with other buyers against the vendor.

For further help, customers can call Tarion’s customer service team toll-free at 1-877-9-TARION (1-877-982-7466), or by email to .

—> Read more: Can You Sell a Pre-Construction Condo? Yes, but…

How can you mitigate your risk?

Researching your developer before signing that purchase agreement is key to mitigating the risk of losing your money.  Frank Farhangi, a Broker at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, gives the following advice:

An experienced developer with a great brand and reputation has more to lose by cancelling a project than a new developer. Do your homework on Google and check for customer reviews or any news publications mentioning the developer.

You can also look up the developer in Tarion’s directory of builders. Once you find their profile, you can see if they’ve had any cancellations in the past. As Farhangi said, large builders that have been around for a long time have a lower risk of cancellation.

In addition to searching Tarion’s directory, you can also search if your developer has any liens. A lien is when a previous creditor claims interest in one of the developer’s assets, hoping to get repaid for a previous debt. A developer with liens is riskier than one without liens. You can search if a developer has any liens on Service Ontario’s website. It costs $8 to search a year within the past 25 years. It may be worthwhile to search the past 3 years, which would cost $24. 

Farhangi also recommends the buyer to ask targeted questions to the agent: 

Ask your agent to provide you with a list of the other projects the developer completed recently. Check to see if there are any pending lawsuits or class actions by the purchasers against the developer. Question if the zoning of the project as it is being presented has already been approved by the municipality. If the project has been on the market for a long time and has a lot of inventory without sales momentum, that might be a project to steer clear of.

When you are talking with a sales representative, keep in mind that they are biased and it’s their job to treat you well and try to sell you the condo unit. But should any problems occur, purchasers are down on the list of people trying to get their money back from a bankruptcy filing. It’s worth saying again: Make sure you research their track record before singing the purchase agreement!

Ever since we had our first major condos hit the Toronto skyline in the early 1980’s there has been a lack of newer purpose-built high-end rental buildings – until now.

Over the past few years in Toronto, the city’s rental market has widened – offering substantially greater units in buildings with excellent and expanded facilities. Unlike renting a condo, which may be subject to the owner’s whims, these are much more stable environments as long as you pay the rent and abide by the rules.

I’ve chosen a couple of buildings located in the central core as examples. Each of the buildings below seems to have a different cohort to appeal to however have a look and see what looks good to you. I have added some of the older with the newer but the good news for those who chose to rent is that the field has got bigger and will continue to do so…

Thinking about downsizing your home? Explore these blog posts for helpful ideas and insights!

• Not Ready For Condo Life? Alternatives For Downsizers
• Toronto Condos: Go New or Renovate?
• Your Questions About Garden Suites Answered

The Thomas – 355 St. Clair Avenue West, Casa Loma

Located in the St Clair West neighbourhood, The Thomas is a high-rise apartment building with spacious units. Managed by CAPREIT, the building has been upgraded in recent years to match modernizing standards of luxury. 

Units begin at 860 square feet, with the largest units measuring 1780 square feet. Leases range from $2,780 to $6,995. Amenities include valet parking, an outdoor pool and a fitness centre. 

Tower Hill East – 330 Spadina Road, Casa Loma

Located just off of St. Clair Avenue West near Casa Loma, Tower Hill East offers modern rental apartments with great views of the city in every direction. The building was completed in 1966 and is currently managed by CAPREIT. 

Suites range from 482 to 3,240 square feet. Leases start at $3,305 and go up to $5,995. Amenities include an outdoor pool, concierge, storage facilities and flower garden. 

Thinking about leasing your next home? You’ll want to work with a locally knowledgeable real estate agent. Visit these blog posts for helpful tips. 

• How to Read Between the Lines of Agent Reviews
• What If I’m Ghosted by My Real Estate Agent?
• How Many Real Estate Agents Should You Interview Before Choosing One?

Minto Yorkville – 61 Yorkville Avenue, Yorkville

Located in upscale Yorkville, this development boasts stylish luxury suites to match the neighbourhood surrounding it. Completed in 2003, the Minto Yorkville was developed by Minto, who still manages the property today. 

Units range from 645 to 1,845 square feet, with leases beginning at $3,072, ranging up to $12,037. Amenities include a 24/7 concierge, electric car parking, fitness centre, resident lounges and an on-site theatre room. 

Planning on renting next? We’ve put together some tips to make the transition easier here. 

The Roe by Minto – 150 Roehampton Avenue, Yonge & Eglinton

Located in the popular Yonge and Eglinton district, The Roe was developed by Minto and completed in 2007. The Roe is a sophisticated, boutique-style building where residents enjoy a friendly community atmosphere. 

Units range from 393 to 802 square feet, with available leases ranging from $2,233 to $3,752. Amenities include private balconies, a fitness centre, 24/7 guest services and storage facilities. 

2Fifteen Forest Hill – 215 Lonsdale Road, Forest Hill South

Located in one of the city’s most coveted neighbourhoods, 2Fifteen Forest Hill is a brand new luxury building. Developed by DBS, the building is only a few months away from completion, with residents set to move in Summer 2022. 

Units range from 580 to 2,150 square feet. Leases range from $2,900 all the way to $12,000 for penthouse suites. The building offers hotel-style amenities for residents such as a 24/7 concierge, parcel management, fitness centre and games room. 

The Parker – 200 Redpath Ave

The Parker is a brand new high-end rental complex located near Yonge and Eglinton. Developed by Fitzrovia, the building is finally move-in ready. 

Units range from 350 to 886 square feet, with leases ranging from $2,295 to $4,830. As you may expect, The Parker offers a handful of standout amenities such as bowling alleys, a signature infinity pool, gym and yoga facilities, pet spa and an on-site cafe. 

Ready for a smaller living space? Download our complete guide to rightsizing.

The Charles – 44 Charles Street West, Yorkville

Uniquely located in the Manulife Centre, The Charles is a new development that offers a variety of lowrise and highrise suites in the Bloor-Yorkville district. Completed in 1974, the Manulife Centre is home to a number of amenities including direct pedestrian tunnels to the Bloor-Yonge Subway Station, offering residents unmatched convenience. 

Suites, which can be furnished or unfurnished range from 361 to 1,609 square feet. Leases range from $2,695 to $8,045. Residential amenities include a pool, sundeck, library and concierge. 

Nervous about adjusting to a smaller living space? Check out these resources.

• How We Went From 3500 Square Feet to 1000
• 5 Tips For a Less Cluttered Life
• How to Help Your Parents Rightsize

The James – 10 Price Street, Summerhill

Located in trendy Rosedale, The James is set to offer sophisticated luxury rentals just outside of the downtown core. The building is developed by Tricon Residential and construction is currently underway. 

Although floor plans and rates are yet to be published, we can confirm that the 21 storey building will be home to 120 units and be move-in ready for 2026.

Gerrard West – 99 Gerrard Street West, Downtown Toronto

Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, 99 Gerrad West offers luxury one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites. The building is managed by BentallGreenOak and offers a unique variety of in-suite and shared amenities.

Units range from 554 to 1189 square feet, with leases starting around $2,495. Amenities include an on-site cafe, pool, fitness centre, outdoor terrace and pet spa.

The Heathview – 320 Tweedsmuir Avenue, Forest Hill Village

Just across the street from St. Clair subway station and the TTC, The Heathview is located on Tweedsmuir Avenue, south of Heath Street between Spadina and Bathurst, in the sought-after Forest Hill Village. It was completed in 2014 by Morguard.

Units range from 558 to 1497 square feet. Amenities include party room, fitness center, swimming pool, private dining room, guest suites, outdoor terrace & courtyard. The Heathview also provides an on-site car-share program, e-car charging stations and bicycle stalls as a part of their Green Living program.

101 – 101 St. Clair Avenue, Forest Hill South

Another example of purpose built high-end rental building in the Forest Hill neighbourhood is the 101 St Clair by Camrost Felcrop. This building is located at the corner of Avenue Road and St. Clair, at the heart of the Imperial Village community, in close proximity to Yorkville, Rosedale and Summerhill. Both the subway station and the streetcar are at a walking distance and so is the popular Yonge and St. Clair corridor with lots of shopping, food and entertainment.

Units range from 600 to 2000 square feet. Leases for available units range in price from $3,050 to over $11,200. Amenities include a two-story lobby lounge with a fireplace, 24/hr concierge, a dog parkette with a run and pet wash area, a business centre, a private party room with catering kitchen, dining lounge and card room and outdoor amenities adjacent to the party room.

The Colonnade – 131 Bloor Street West, Yorkville

A veteran among these developments, the Colonnade, located at the heart of Yorkville’s most fashionable street, offers you life amidst the best of shopping, fine dining, as well as art and culture. The building is in close proximity to the Museum and Bay Subway stations. It was opened in 1963 by the Mayor Donald Summerville with these words: “A creative and imaginative answer to the pressing problems of urban renewal.”

Units range from 480 to 1280 square feet. Amenities include 24 hour security and surveillance, lounge with a kitchen, fitness center, smart card laundry centre, guest suites, on-site convenience store and dry cleaners, controlled indoor visitor and tenant parking, dry recycling and organic composting available on each floor. Units are available on occasion and are highly sought after.

Two Avenue Road – 2 Avenue Road, The Annex

This new development by Oxford Properties, coming in 2020, offers life in the south tower of the iconic Toronto Park Hyatt Hotel. It is located in Yorkville, steps from the U of T, the ROM and the Mink Mile on Bloor Street.

Units range from 973 to 1922 square feet.  Amenities include an outdoor terrace, private event space with a kitchen and a fitness center.

The Montgomery – 25 Montgomery Avenue, Yonge & Eglinton

This new development by Rockport, located in the Yonge & Eglinton neighbourhood, was finished in 2019. It has a walkscore of 97 and transit score of 91.

Units range from 519 to 1079 square feet. Leases for available units range in price from $2,447 to over $6,748. Amenities include a pet wash area, guest suites, party room, fitness center and an outdoor pool.

The LivMore – 43 Gerrard Street W, Bay Corridor

A new apartment development by GWL Realty Advisors, it was completed in 2018. Located in the heart of Downtown Toronto on the corner of Bay and Gerrard, this complex is steps away from dining, shopping and entertainment.

Units range from 355 to 1560 square feet. Leases for available units range in price from $2,373 to over $6,798. Amenities include a two-storey sky lounge, outdoor terrace (5th floor), gym/fitness area, yoga/aerobic studio, party room (private function areas with kitchen facilities), theatre/screening room, game room, dog spa and outdoor dog area, 100% smoke-free building, on-site dry cleaning services.

Niagara West Apartments – 39 Niagara St, King West Village

This new apartment complex by Minto is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2020. Located in the energetic Toronto’s King West neighbourhood, known for its high-end condo buildings, great nightlife and delicious food.

Units range from 419 to 1227 square feet. Leases for available units range in price from $2,222 to over $5,264. Amenities include fitness center, bbq and fire pits, 24 hour concierge, sauna & steam room, outdoor rooftop urban garden, outdoor rooftop pool, rooftop off-leash dog run area.

Two St. Thomas – 2 St. Thomas Street, Yorkville

A new apartment development by BentalGreenOak Residential Services and Kingsett Capital was completed in 2017. Nestled in the heart of Yorkville, with a walkscore of 99, this complex is in close proximity to shopping, fine dining and entertainment — the best of what the Bloor/Yorkville area has to offer.

Units range from 534 to 1428 square feet. Leases for available units range in price from $2,730 to over $8,450. Amenities include a fitness center, in-house pet spa, rooftop terrace, resident lounge, ClikFIX for easy maintenance requests, fireplace lobby lounge, private dining room with kitchen, 24/7 concierge, professionally curated original art collection, electric car charging station, on-site property management, parcel management system.

The Selby – 25 Selby Street, Rosedale

This new apartment and townhouse development by Tricon House and MOD Developments Inc. was completed in 2018. Located south of Rosedale, a short distance from Yorkville and just a block away from the Sherbourne subway station.

Units range from 524 to 1328 square feet. Leases for available units range in price from $2,629 to over $4,843. Amenities include rooftop swimming pool, co-working space, game room, private theatre, party room, dog spa, sauna spa, outdoor kitchen, fitness center, outdoor lounge area.

Trilogy on King – 1100 King Street West

This new apartment development in Liberty Village by First Capital and CAPREIT was completed in 2019. Nestled in the middle of what’s become “the city’s hippest and most dynamic neighbourhood”, close to eclectic shops, fine dining, art ateliers and cafes.

Units range from 470 to 1217 square feet.  Leases for available units range in price from $2,151 to over $4,265. Amenities include a party room, pool, rooftop patio and a yoga room.

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